Keeping My Promise
by CBloom2
Summary: Had to do something after last nights episode. SPOILERS if you haven't seen the last two episodes. It's about Ethan surprise, surprise!


**Well I have to say that I think last nights episode got me more than last weeks. George was just amazing, my heart broke for Ethan.**

 **So anyway, I'm going to write something loosely based on the last couple of episodes but with a twist. You will notice that there is no Alicia in this. I'm still not sold on her and Ethan - sorry.**

 **As always I don't own anyone that you recognise.**

 **I'm on a new notebook thingy which I haven't got my head round just yet so apologies if this goes pear shaped.**

 **Keeping My Promise**

"Ethan, it's Cal..."

Ethan strode past Dylan, pausing slightly as he rounded the corner to see his friends all stood outside Resus looking at him, sympathy etched on their faces, "Where's Cal?" he croaked, stomach churning unceasingly.

"Cal was found stabbed...you can't go in there, not yet," Charlie was pleading as Ethan pushed past him.

Dead. His big brother was dead. Laid out as white as the sheet that covered him. Ethan broke.

How long he cried over his brother's body, he had no idea but after what only seemed like a few seconds, he felt himself being led away. He tried to pull away, he didn't want to leave him, but Charlie had not let him go and now he was sat in Charlie's office, staring blankly at the wall. A cup of tea appeared in front of him, "I know it seems ridiculous, but it may help," the kindly nurse supplied. Ethan nodded his thanks as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, "I need to phone..."

Who did he need to phone? He was all alone now. He had no-one.

"Who do you need to phone Ethan. Perhaps I can help?"

Ethan shook his head sadly, "It's alright Charlie, there's no-one. I'm alone now..."

Tears fell like rain down his face, Charlie watched the younger man, his face a mirror of Ethans. Suddenly the younger man stiffened. Charlie got to his feet, "What?" he enquired.

"There's a voicemail...from Cal," Ethan gasped as he put the phone down on the desk as if it was scolding hot.

"I understand that this is very raw at the moment Ethan, " Charlie began gently, "But I think you need to listen to it - it might give us more of an idea about what happened."

Ethan glanced up at the older nurse, looking all of twelve years old in the older man's eyes, "I can't Charlie..." he choked out even though he knew his friend was right.

Before he gave himself any more time to think about it, he pressed his phone to play. Completely out of the blue, a small smile appeared on his face as he listened to his brother complain about his welcome message. However, his smile soon turned to pain as he heard the rest of the message. By the end of it, his eyes were brimming once more, as was Charlie's, "It should have been me," he gasped as the full horror of what happened sank in.

"Now come on Ethan, we don't know.."  
"Charlie you heard him. Scott was after me. Cal died for me...Oh god..."

Ethan leaned over and promptly threw up into the dustbin by the side of the desk. Charlie dashed over, rubbling his back gently in what he hoped was some sort of comfort. Soon Ethan's retching turned back into deep heartfelt sobs that shook his thin body.

Charlie took charge then making sure he went to the on call room to get some sleep as he knew that he wouldn't be in any fit state to drive home.

The next thing he knew, he was changing into his spare scrubs that he kept in his locker. Connie had been in to say that they needed to discuss a more suitable time for him to come back, but Ethan had insisted that he needed to be there, he had to work.

He endured a painfully long day, full on sympathetic glances and awkward silences. He'd managed to treat some patients, talk to the police and basically hold himself together much to his own surprise as well as everyone elses.

Now he was on his way home. Back to the flat that although was full of Cal's things, was empty. He sighed deeply as he walked towards the car. It was still raining. He stopped, without realising, beside the shrine full of flowers for his brother. He caught sight of a photo that had been placed there, by whom he didn't know, but there were a huge amount of flowers, stuffed animals, even cards. He bent down and picked one up.

 _Dear Dr Knight, You probably won't remember me but you saved my life last year. You were so friendly and funny and a brilliant doctor. I heard about what happened and I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry that it ended in such a cruel and evil way for you and my thoughts go out to your family. Rest in peace Dr Knight - call me Cal xx_

Ethan placed it back where he got it from as he felt the rain pound on his back. His legs suddenly felt like they couldn't support him anymore and before he knew where he was, he had sunk to his knees - tears cascading down his face mixing with the rain. Shivers wracked his soaked through body, but he didn't care. What was the point anyway - he had nobody left.

Strange noises filled the night air. Keening noises, as if there were a couple of cats circling each other ready to pounce, but he couldn't see any cats. He carried on staring at his brothers picture. That quirky, cocky grin that used to drive Ethan up the wall - the one that he'd never see again. Emotion poured out of him in torrents - the force seemingly so strong that he was shaking...shaking...someone was calling his name, but there was nobody there.

Shaking..."Ethan!"

"Ethan! Ethan! Oh thank goodness Charlie, he won't wake up. He's been sobbing his heart out for the last ten minutes and I can't get to him."

Charlie put his hand on the young doctors shoulder and gently shook him, "Ethan," he called gently so as not to alarm the younger man should he wake.

Suddenly, Ethan's eyes shot open as he surged to his feet all in one movement. Breathing heavily, he doubled over with his hands on his knees, sucking in deep breaths to steady the nausea that was building inside him, "Ethan," Charlie ventured.

Ethan dragged his eyes up to meet the older nurse. They were puffy and red raw, "Ch...Charlie, Cal he's ...I saw..."

Tears ran anew as Ethan tried to comprehend what was happening in his life right now.

Charlie took hold of the younger doctor's arms and gently turned him around, "I'll be outside," was all he said.

Ethan's tears subsided at that as he looked at his surroundings. He was in a hospital room. Why was he in hospital? Had he been out in the rain to long and caught pnuemonia?

"Ethan," his heart stopped momentarily at the voice. Great now in his grief he had started hearing voices - he'd be seeing ghosts next.

"Ethan, are you alright?"

There, he had heard it again. He turned towards the direction of the voice, "C...Cal?" He hardly dare say the name.

His brother was laid in a bed, but this time he was moving. He was propped up on pillows, his face still pale, but he was moving, he was talking, he was worried, "Yeah, it's me. Are you alright?"

"But you're..." Ethan could barely see through fresh tears that were about to fall.

"It was close - don't you remember? "

"You were stabbed. I saw you...you were...there was nothing they could do."

Cal hissed as he eased himself into a more upright position, "Like I said, it was close, but Dylan and Connie worked their magic and, well, here I am," he smiled.

"But...I...I heard your voicemail...Scott was after me...you took a knife for me..." Ethan stammered.

"I would do it a million times over Ethan if it meant saving you - that's my job..."

"You're really here?" Ethan sounded all of five years old again.

Cal felt a tear slip down his own face at his brother's desolate expression, "Yes I'm here Nibbles..."

Ethan broke once more. He launched himself at his brother and threw his arms around him. Cal hissed silently at the pain that it caused but he wasn't going to deny his little brother this embrace.

He had watched Ethan sleep and could see that he was being ravaged by nightmares which he guessed had involved him. When he had woken up in such a disjointed state, Cal had wanted to just jump out of bed to comfort him, but he had been unable to do that due to his injuries.

"I thought you were dead...I thought you were dead..." he kept hearing his brother mumble.

"I'm not dead little brother. I told you that I would be here forever and I'm keeping my promise."

 **So there you have it. I just couldn't live with Cal dead!**

 **Does anyone know if they've filmed a funeral for Cal? I just didn't want them to leave it to us to just assume that there had been a funeral, if you know what I mean.**

 **Anyway hope you liked it.**


End file.
